ASTRO Encourages Quality Reporting Initiative Participation

July 27, 2007 – The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology encourages radiation oncologists to participate in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), which runs from July 1 – Dec. 31, 2007.

PQRI establishes a financial incentive for eligible professionals to participate in a voluntary quality reporting program. Eligible professionals who successfully report on a designated set of quality measures for claims dated July 1 to Dec. 31, 2007, may earn a bonus payment, subject to a cap, of 1.5 percent of the total allowed charges for covered Medicare physician fee schedule services.

“Radiation oncology is all about giving quality care and attention to men and women living with a diagnosis of cancer,” said Christopher Rose, M.D., Co-chair of ASTRO’s Quality Steering Committee and a radiation oncologist at Valley Radiotherapy in Los Angeles. “Likewise, the federal government is looking to transition from a typical fee-for-service model to a model that rewards physicians for providing the best care for patients. I encourage my radiation oncology colleagues to participate in the PQRI program and provide feedback as the government explores ways to incorporate quality measures into its payment mechanisms.”